Odisha Minister Suresh Pujari Blames 24 Years Of BJD Rule For Ganjam Flood Devastation

Bhubaneswar: Odisha revenue and disaster management minister Suresh Pujari on Thursday held the previous 24-year Biju Janata Dal (BJD) government responsible for the absence of long-term flood-management measures in Ganjam district, triggering a fresh political confrontation over the devastation caused by heavy rainfall following Cyclone Arnab.

Addressing a press conference here, Pujari rejected the Opposition's charge of administrative negligence and questioned the previous government's record in managing rivers, reservoirs and flood-control infrastructure. He alleged that the BJD was attempting to shift responsibility for its own failures by blaming the present BJP government.

The minister's remarks came two days after BJD president and Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik described the Ganjam floods as a “manmade crisis” and demanded accountability from the Mohan Charan Majhi government. Patnaik had alleged that the authorities failed to monitor reservoir levels and release water in advance despite weather warnings, while delayed opening of dam gates aggravated the flooding in downstream areas.

Explaining the scale of the rainfall, Pujari said Ganjam received 337.6 mm of rain over three days from October 28 to 30. The district recorded 83.1 mm on October 28, 191 mm on October 29 and 63.4 mm on October 30.

The situation was particularly severe in Patrapur block, which received 808.4 mm during the three-day period, including an extraordinary 546 mm on October 29 alone. Several other blocks also experienced exceptionally heavy rainfall, with one recording more than 500 mm, two over 400 mm and around six exceeding 300 mm.

“Ganjam had never witnessed such heavy rainfall in the past. The administration had made preparations based on the India Meteorological Department's forecasts, but the actual rainfall was far beyond the predicted levels, resulting in a sudden flood situation,” Pujari said.

He maintained that the water-release system in rivers had been automated and that the unprecedented intensity of rainfall had compounded the situation. He also pointed to the difficulty of anticipating secondary hazards such as landslides and falling rocks in hilly areas.

Taking the political counterattack further, Pujari cited casualties during previous natural disasters under the BJD regime. He said 72 people had died during Cyclone Titli and 65 during Cyclone Fani, arguing that disaster management and long-term preparedness should be assessed against the record of successive governments.

The minister said the present government was committed to its zero-casualty approach and had deployed eight ministers to supervise relief, rescue and restoration operations in flood-hit Ganjam.

Signalling a shift towards long-term solutions, he said the government would consult various Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) to develop scientific and sustainable strategies for flood management. The proposed exercise would focus on river and reservoir management, drainage systems and measures to minimise the impact of extreme rainfall.

With the Assembly session approaching, Pujari challenged the Opposition to substantiate its allegations with facts and documents on the floor of the House, saying the government was prepared to respond with relevant data.